Attachment for digging implements



R; RISCH.

ATTACHMENT FOR DIGGING |MPLEMENTS.-

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I6, 1919.

1,353,494. v PatentedSept. 21,1920.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 1 UNITED stares eATfENt ROBERT RISCH, or MILWAUKEE, Wiscons n.

ATTACHMENT FOR DIGGING IMPLEMEN'TS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 21, 1920 Application filed August 16, 1919. Serial No. 317,972.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT Risen, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofNVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Digging Implements, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in attachments for spades or forks, and has for one of its objects to provide an attachment of this character which will materially reduce the labor and effort required in digging.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment of the character for the purpose set forth which may be readily applied to spades or forks now in use, or to spades or forks at the time of their manufacture.

l/Vith the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of r the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the herein disclosed invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical.

application of the principles thereof, which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a spade and a portion of the handle illustrating my attachment as secured thereto.

Fig. 2 is a view similar. to Fig. 1 of a fork having my attachment secured thereto.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the attachment detached, and V Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the channeled securing member employed in connection with my attachment when the same is used with a fork. V

Referring now more particularly to the and in accompanying drawing, my invention con- 7 sists of a metal bracket 5 of the necessary width and thickness bent at the proper an- The ends of the bracket are directed laterally and then folded upon themselves as at 7 and provided with spaced apart apertures 8 for receiving'the ends of U-clips 9. The clips 9, as best shown in Fig. 1, engage about the adjacent portions of the spade handle 10 to thus clearly fasten the bracket thereto.

In use, the spade is forced into the earth in the usual manner. When raising the same, however, instead of lifting it, the spade handle is pressed downwardly until the bend 6 of the bracket rests upon the surface of the earth. The 'width and rounded corner prevents its sinking into the earth,

and thus acts as a fulcrum for the spade handle permitting the work to be done with less effort than is required without the bracket attachment.

When used with a fork, the bracket attachment is provided with a foot rest 11 which supplies a foothold for the user.

This foot rest fits over the top of the fork and furnishes a secure foothold in digging, where otherwise the foot slips off the top rounded portion of the fork., The foot rest 11 is formed of a single length of metal having a channel 12 therein engaging the top of the fork andprovided with a recessv 13 medially of its ends for engagemen about the base of the fork handle 10. As

clearly shown in Fig. 4, the recess 13 is formed by striking rearwardly therefrom a portion or lip 14: which is bent or folded to lie against the wider side 15 of the member 11, and the lip 14 and the side 15 have therein an opening 16 through which passes a bolt 17 for securing the lower end 7 to the fork.

When used on a fork, the lower U-shaped clip 9 is dispensed with and the bolt 17 serves to retain the foot rest 11 in position and also to secure the lower end of the bracket attadhment to the fork.

The use of the same upon the fork is identical with its use as described in connection with the spade.

What .I claim as my invention is:

An attachment for digging im lements comprising a bracket consisting 0 a strip of metal having a horizontal portion and an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion, reinforced ends on said bracket, means securing the upper end of said bracket to the handle of the digging implement, a plate having a top channel portion engageable 7 over the top ot the digging implement and having a cutaway portion for the handle of 10 said implement, and common means for securing said plate and the lower end of said bracket to the implement.

In testimony whereof, I affiX my signature.

ROBERT RISGH. 

